WO2016018102A1 - System for cloud streaming-based broadcast-associated service, client apparatus for broadcast-associated service, trigger content provision server and method utilizing same - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a system for a cloud streaming-based broadcast-associated service, a client apparatus for the broadcast-associated service, a trigger content provision server and a method utilizing same. The client apparatus for a broadcast-associated service receives trigger content and associated information for which a different screen for each user need not be provided from the trigger content provision server without going through a cloud streaming server, thereby allowing a large number of broadcast service clients to be serviced by a small number of trigger content provision servers, and the service via the cloud streaming server is received only when a user input for the trigger content exists, thereby allowing an associated service to be interactively provided with just the optimum resources.

Description

Cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system, broadcast linked service client device, trigger content providing server and method using the same

The present invention relates to a cloud streaming based broadcast linked service system, and more particularly, to a cloud streaming based broadcast linked service system having a distributed server structure, a broadcast linked service client device, a trigger content providing server, and a method using the same.

The present invention claims the benefit of the filing date of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0097652 filed on July 30, 2014, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein.

As IT technology advances, the application market grows, and the SNS market becomes active, the amount of data such as contents of users is rapidly increasing. Now, the data is oversaturated, and each terminal can't afford it. This situation can be completely solved by the cloud system. And these cloud systems will be the foundation for building micro device environments.

For example, in executing a service or function requiring a large amount of image processing, the service or function is executed through a server based on cloud computing, and only the result screen of the execution is sent to the user's terminal using streaming technology. By transmitting, the user can use a service or a function requiring high specification or high function through the terminal.

As such, a technology that enables a user terminal to use various services or functions through a screen virtualization technology that executes a specific service or function according to a request of the user terminal and transmits the result to the user terminal is called a cloud streaming service.

Meanwhile, in a terrestrial, cable, and IPTV-based broadcasting system, a broadcast linked application and related information are transmitted to a client such as a set-top box or a TV through a broadcast stream such as an MPEG-TS stream, and the client receives the broadcast stream. Extracts metadata corresponding to the application and related information from the broadcast stream to drive the application. The broadcast linked application service exposes an application / service trigger such as an image on a broadcast image to notify a user that there is an application or service related to the content being broadcast, and the user corresponds to an exposed application / service trigger. By generating a set input, the linked application can be driven. At this time, the trigger image / video is also transmitted through the broadcast stream.

However, in this manner, it is impossible to drive a broadcast-linked application specialized for each broadcast receiver due to the nature of the broadcast stream being broadcast, and it is difficult to transmit various meta information related to the application for each broadcast receiver.

Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new technology capable of overcoming the transmission bandwidth limitation of a broadcast stream and providing different broadcast linked services for different users.

Related prior arts include Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0110756 and October 10, 2013 (name: broadcast linked service providing method).

An object of the present invention is to drive a broadcast linked application specialized for each broadcast receiver, and to transmit meta information related to the application differently for each broadcast receiver.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to enable a broadcast linked service using an application or service content of a sufficient size irrespective of the size limitation of a broadcast stream such as an MPEG-TS stream.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to solve the problem of excessive load of the cloud streaming server in the cloud-based broadcast-linked service specialized for the user.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a broadcast linked service client device receives a service condition defined by a broadcast linked service definition server for each user, and receives trigger content corresponding to the service condition from a trigger content providing server. A receiving unit; And a control unit configured to execute a trigger application to display the trigger content in association with broadcast content and to receive an application execution result screen specialized for the user from a cloud streaming server based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content, and provide the trigger content to the user. It includes.

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen.

In this case, the service condition may include a broadcast type condition and a timing condition set according to a user group.

In this case, the trigger content may include at least one of a cloud streaming application identifier and another trigger content identifier for providing the broadcast linked service when the trigger content is selected.

In this case, the trigger content may be transmitted according to a transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server.

In this case, when the trigger content providing server has two or more keys associated with the trigger content, the trigger content providing server may provide a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier associated with each key together with the trigger content.

In addition, the trigger content providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention, the request receiving unit for receiving the trigger content for the broadcast-linked service by the trigger application running on the client; A transmission timing determiner configured to determine a transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of at least one of an exposure time of the trigger content and a server load; And a trigger content transmitter for providing the trigger content to the client at the transmission timing so that a broadcast linked service through a cloud streaming service is performed when there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content.

In this case, the transmission timing determiner may set the transmission timing differently for each client in consideration of the server load.

In this case, the transmission timing determiner may set the transmission timing such that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time.

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users corresponding to the cloud streaming service.

In addition, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention, receiving a service condition defined by the user-specific broadcast linked service definition server; Receiving trigger content corresponding to the service condition from a trigger content providing server; Displaying the trigger content in association with broadcast content; And receiving an application execution result screen specialized for the user from a cloud streaming server based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content, and providing the result to the user.

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen.

In this case, the trigger content may be transmitted according to a transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server.

In this case, in the step of receiving the trigger content, when there are two or more keys associated with the trigger content, the trigger content may receive a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier associated with each key.

In addition, the trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the step of receiving a request for the trigger content for the broadcast-linked service by the trigger application running on the client; Determining transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of at least one of an exposure time of the trigger content and a server load; And providing the trigger content to the client at the transmission timing so that a broadcast linked service through a cloud streaming service is performed when there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content.

In this case, the determining of the transmission timing may set the transmission timing differently for each client in consideration of the server load.

In this case, the determining of the transmission timing may set the transmission timing such that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time.

In addition, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a broadcast linked service definition server for each user to provide a service condition for a broadcast linked service; A trigger content providing server providing trigger content corresponding to the service condition; A client device executing a trigger application to display the trigger content in association with broadcast content, and receiving and providing an application execution result screen specific to the user generated based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content to the user; And a cloud streaming server that generates the execution result screen by executing an application specialized for the user based on the user input.

According to the present invention, while providing a broadcast-linked service through cloud streaming, through the trigger content providing server, the cloud streaming server is responsible for the number of users much less than the number of service exposure broadcast receivers, it is possible to efficiently broadcast-linked service. .

In addition, the present invention can define a different broadcast interlocking service for each user through a user-specific broadcast interlocking service definition server, it is possible to provide information on a different broadcast interlocking service for each user.

1 is a block diagram showing a cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the client device illustrated in FIG. 1.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a trigger content providing server shown in FIG. 1.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an operation flowchart illustrating a trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an overall cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in the following description and the accompanying drawings, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations that may obscure the subject matter of the present invention will be omitted. In addition, it should be noted that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible throughout the drawings.

The terms or words used in the specification and claims described below should not be construed as being limited to ordinary or dictionary meanings, and the inventors are appropriate as concepts of terms for explaining their own invention in the best way. It should be interpreted as meanings and concepts in accordance with the technical spirit of the present invention based on the principle that it can be defined. Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configuration shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, and various alternatives may be substituted at the time of the present application. It should be understood that there may be equivalents and variations. In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are used to describe various components, and are only used to distinguish one component from another component and are not used to limit the components.

1 is a block diagram showing a cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a user-defined broadcast linked service definition server 110, a cloud streaming server 120, a trigger content providing server 130, and Client device 140.

The user-specific broadcast linked service definition server 110 provides a service condition for a broadcast linked service.

In this case, the service condition may include a broadcast type condition and a timing condition set according to a user group.

The trigger content providing server 130 provides trigger content corresponding to the service condition.

In this case, the trigger content may include at least one of a cloud streaming application identifier and another trigger content identifier for providing the broadcast linked service when the trigger content is selected.

That is, the trigger content may be information indicating that the broadcast linked service related to the broadcast content can be provided to the user during the broadcast, and may be provided in the form of an image or a video.

In this case, the trigger content may be transmitted according to a transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server.

The client device 140 executes a trigger application to display the trigger content in conjunction with broadcast content, and receives an application execution result screen specialized for the user generated based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content to the user. to provide.

In this case, the client device 140 may be a set-top box or a digital television.

The cloud streaming server 120 executes an application specific to the user based on the user input to generate the execution result screen.

That is, the present invention is to solve the problem of excessive load of the cloud streaming server in the cloud-based broadcast linked service, trigger content and related information that do not need to provide a different screen for each user is the cloud streaming server By providing to the client device 140 through a separate trigger content providing server 130 without going through 120 to enable a service for a large number of broadcast receivers through a small number of trigger content providing server 130 . Furthermore, the cloud streaming server 120 operates only when the user selects a key associated with the trigger content to provide an interactive linked service to the user, thereby improving server operation efficiency.

At this time, the trigger content providing server 130 may provide a trigger image or video, and if the trigger content is selected together with the trigger content, the trigger content providing server 130 may provide an identifier of another cloud content or an identifier of a cloud streaming application to perform a related service. Can be.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the client device illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the client device illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a communication unit 210, a control unit 220, and a storage unit 230.

The communication unit 210 receives data transmitted from the broadcast interworking service definition server 110, the cloud streaming server 120, and the trigger content providing server 130 for each user through a communication network, and provides the broadcast interworking service definition server 110 for each user. ), The control signal is transmitted to the cloud streaming server 120 and the trigger content providing server 130. The communication unit 210 may transmit and receive data through various communication methods as well as wired and wireless methods. In addition, the communication unit 210 may transmit and receive data using one or more communication methods, and for this purpose, the communication unit 210 may include a plurality of communication modules that transmit and receive data according to different communication methods.

In particular, the communication unit 210 receives a service condition defined by the user-specific broadcast linked service definition server 110, and receives trigger content corresponding to the service condition from the trigger content providing server 130.

In this case, the service condition may include a broadcast type condition and a timing condition set according to a user group.

In this case, the trigger content may include at least one of a cloud streaming application identifier and another trigger content identifier for providing the broadcast linked service when the trigger content is selected.

In this case, the trigger content may be transmitted according to a transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server 130.

That is, when different types of broadcast-linked services, related broadcasts, and triggering timings are provided to the client device 140 according to a user group through the user-specific broadcast linked service definition server 110, the client device such as a set-top box or a TV ( 140, when a user selects a specific channel (or selects a specific VOD service) at a specific time period, requests for trigger content and related information from the trigger content providing server 130. In this case, the trigger content related information may correspond to a unique identifier. The trigger application of the client device 140 receives a specific trigger content and related information from the trigger content providing server 130 and displays it on the screen. The timing of requesting information from the trigger application to the trigger content is always available before the screen display time, and the reception timing may be set differently for each broadcast receiver so that the load of the trigger content providing server 130 may be balanced. .

The controller 220 performs an overall control operation of the client device. In particular, the controller 220 executes a trigger application to display the trigger content in conjunction with broadcast content, and receives an application execution result screen specialized for the user from a cloud streaming server based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content. To the user.

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen. That is, since the trigger content does not need to be provided differently for each user, the trigger content is provided by a separate trigger content providing server, and the cloud streaming server operates only when the user requests a service.

When the trigger content displayed through the client device 140 is selected by the user, it may be directly connected to the cloud streaming service. In this case, the cloud streaming application identifier for the cloud streaming service may be transmitted together with the trigger content from the trigger content providing server 130.

When the trigger content displayed through the client device 140 is selected by the user, if more than one key is associated with the trigger content, the cloud streaming application identifier or other trigger content associated with each key is transmitted to the trigger content providing server 130. May be provided.

In this manner, all broadcast receivers to which the trigger content is exposed may receive a service through the trigger content providing server 130 without accessing the cloud streaming server 120, thereby effectively reducing the load of the cloud streaming server 120. have.

The storage unit 230 may store information necessary for the operation of the client device. The storage unit 230 may include an optical media such as a magnetic media such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, a compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM), and a digital video disk (DVD). And magneto-optical media such as floppy disks, and ROM, random access memory (RAM), and flash memory.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a trigger content providing server shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3, the trigger content providing server illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a request receiver 310, a transmission timing determiner 320, and a trigger content transmitter 330.

The request receiver 310 receives a trigger content for broadcast linked service by a trigger application executed in a client.

The transmission timing determiner 320 determines the transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of any one or more of the exposure time and the server load of the trigger content.

In this case, the transmission timing determiner 320 may set the transmission timing differently for each client in consideration of the server load.

In this case, the transmission timing determiner 320 may set the transmission timing so that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time.

The trigger content transmitter 330 provides the trigger content to the client at the transmission timing so that the broadcast linked service through the cloud streaming service is performed when there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content.

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users corresponding to the cloud streaming service.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a service condition defined by a broadcast linked service definition server for each user (S410).

In addition, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention receives the trigger content corresponding to the service condition from the trigger content providing server (S420).

At this time, the trigger content may be shared by a greater number of users than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen.

In this case, the trigger content may be transmitted according to a transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server.

In this case, in operation S420, when two or more keys associated with the trigger content are received, a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier associated with each key may be received together with the trigger content.

In addition, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention displays the trigger content in conjunction with the broadcast content (S430).

In addition, the cloud streaming-based broadcast-linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention receives the application execution result screen specialized for the user from the cloud streaming server based on the user input corresponding to the trigger content to provide to the user (S440).

5 is an operation flowchart illustrating a trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, in the trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, a trigger content for a broadcast linked service is requested by a trigger application executed in a client (S510).

In addition, the trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention determines the transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of any one or more of the exposure time and the server load of the trigger content (S520).

In this case, in operation S520, the transmission timing may be differently set for each client in consideration of the server load.

In this case, step S520 may set the transmission timing such that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time.

In addition, in the trigger content providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention, if there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content, the trigger content is transmitted to the client at the transmission timing such that a broadcast-linked service through a cloud streaming service is performed. Provided (S530).

In this case, step S530 may provide a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier for providing the broadcast linked service together with the trigger content.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an overall cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method according to an embodiment of the present invention, a broadcast link service definition server 110 for each user transmits a service condition (S601).

In this case, the service condition may include a broadcast type condition and a timing condition set according to a user group.

The client device 140 determines whether the received service condition is satisfied (S602).

If it is determined that the service condition is satisfied, the client device 140 requests trigger content from the trigger content providing server 130 (S603).

That is, the client device 140 requests the trigger content when the user selects a channel or VOD corresponding to the service condition at a preset timing.

The trigger content providing server 130 determines the transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of any one or more of the exposure time and the server load of the trigger content (S604).

The trigger content providing server 130 provides the trigger content to the client device 140 at the transmission timing (S605).

The client device 140 displays the received trigger content on the screen together with the broadcast content, and determines whether an input for the trigger content is received from the user (S606).

When an input for trigger content is received from the user, the client device 140 generates a cloud streaming application identifier (S607).

In this case, the cloud streaming application identifier may be provided by the trigger content providing server 130, or the client device 140 may be generated by extracting from the trigger content.

The client device 140 requests a cloud streaming service to the cloud streaming server 120 with reference to the cloud streaming application identifier (S608).

The cloud streaming server 120 executes the cloud streaming application corresponding to the broadcast linked service with reference to the cloud streaming application identifier and provides an execution result screen to the client device 140 (S609).

The steps shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 may be performed in the order shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, in the reverse order or simultaneously.

The cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method and trigger content providing method according to the present invention may be implemented as a program or a smartphone app that can be executed through various computer means. At this time, the program or the smartphone app may be recorded in a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the media may be those specially designed and constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they may be of the kind well-known and available to those having skill in the computer software arts. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape, optical media such as CD-ROMs, DVDs, and magnetic disks, such as floppy disks. Magneto-optical media, and any type of hardware device specifically configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions may include high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter as well as machine code such as produced by a compiler. Such hardware devices may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

As described above, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system, the broadcast linked service client device, the trigger content providing server, and the method using the same may be limitedly applied to the configuration and method of the above-described embodiments. Rather, the embodiments may be configured by selectively combining all or part of the embodiments so that various modifications can be made.

According to the present invention, while providing a broadcast-linked service through cloud streaming, the cloud-streaming-based broadcast-linked service can be handled by the cloud streaming server so that only a few users are exposed to the service through the trigger content providing server. Is possible. Furthermore, the present invention can contribute to the activation of broadcast linked service by enabling a user-specific broadcast linked service while minimizing the load of the cloud streaming server in a server distributed structure.

Claims (19)

A communication unit for receiving a service condition defined by a user-specific broadcast linked service definition server and receiving trigger content corresponding to the service condition from a trigger content providing server; And Control unit for executing the trigger application to display the trigger content in conjunction with the broadcast content, and receives the application execution result screen specialized for the user from the cloud streaming server based on the user input corresponding to the trigger content to provide to the user Broadcast-linked service client device comprising a. The method according to claim 1, The trigger content is Broadcast-linked service client device, characterized in that shared by more than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen. The method according to claim 2, The above terms of service And a broadcast type condition and a timing condition set according to the user group. The method according to claim 2, The trigger content is And at least one of a cloud streaming application identifier and another trigger content identifier for providing the broadcast linked service when the trigger content is selected. The method according to claim 2, The trigger content is Broadcast linked service client device characterized in that the transmission in accordance with the transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server. The method according to claim 2, The trigger content providing server And two or more keys associated with the trigger content, providing a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier associated with each key together with the trigger content. A request receiving unit for receiving a trigger content request for a broadcast linked service by a trigger application running on a client; A transmission timing determiner configured to determine a transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of at least one of an exposure time of the trigger content and a server load; And Trigger content transmission unit for providing the trigger content to the client at the transmission timing to perform a broadcast linked service through a cloud streaming service when there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content Trigger content providing server comprising a. The method according to claim 7, The transmission timing determiner Trigger content providing server, characterized in that for setting the transmission timing for each client in consideration of the server load. The method according to claim 8, The transmission timing determiner And setting the transmission timing so that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time. The method according to claim 9, The trigger content is Trigger content providing server, characterized in that shared by more than the number of users corresponding to the cloud streaming service. Receiving a service condition defined by a broadcast interworking service definition server for each user; Receiving trigger content corresponding to the service condition from a trigger content providing server; Displaying the trigger content in association with broadcast content; And Receiving an application execution result screen specialized for the user from a cloud streaming server based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content and providing the result to the user Cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method comprising a. The method according to claim 11, The trigger content is Cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method characterized in that shared by more than the number of users sharing the application execution result screen. The method according to claim 12, The trigger content is Cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method characterized in that the transmission in accordance with the transmission timing set differently for each user in consideration of the load of the trigger content providing server. The method according to claim 12, Receiving the trigger content If there are two or more keys associated with the trigger content, the cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service method comprising receiving a cloud streaming application identifier or another trigger content identifier associated with each key together with the trigger content. Receiving a trigger content request for a broadcast linked service by a trigger application executed in a client; Determining transmission timing of the trigger content in consideration of at least one of an exposure time of the trigger content and a server load; And Providing the trigger content to the client at the transmission timing so that a broadcast linked service through a cloud streaming service is performed when there is a user input corresponding to the trigger content. Trigger content providing method comprising a. The method according to claim 15, The determining of the transmission timing Triggering content providing method characterized in that for setting the transmission timing differently for each client in consideration of the server load. The method according to claim 15, The determining of the transmission timing And setting the transmission timing such that the trigger content is transmitted before the exposure time. A recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 11. A broadcast interworking service definition server for each user providing a service condition for a broadcast linked service; A trigger content providing server providing trigger content corresponding to the service condition; A client device executing a trigger application to display the trigger content in association with broadcast content, and receiving and providing an application execution result screen specific to the user generated based on a user input corresponding to the trigger content to the user; And A cloud streaming server that generates the execution result screen by executing an application specialized for the user based on the user input. Cloud streaming-based broadcast linked service system comprising a.

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